Stackable pan



May 24, 1966 R. J. EVANS STACKABLE PAN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1963 INVENTOR. ROBERT J EVANS ATTOR NEYS y 24, 1966 I R. J. EVANS 3,252,614

STACKABLE PAN Filed Dec. 16, 1983 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f z 56 5e /0 54 INVENTOR. 10 ROBERT J. EVANS 59 BY 55 'ATTORN R. J. EVANS STACKABLE PAN May 24, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 16, 1963 FIGIZ FIG.|5

ATTORNEYS United States. Patent 3,252,614 STACKABLE PAN Robert J. Evans, Aurora, Ill., assignor to Aurora Equipment Company, Aurora, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,859 1 Claim. (Cl. 22097) The present invention relates generally to stackable pans or drawers and the method of manufacturing the same.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved pan or drawer for parts which can be readily stacked on another similar unit in such a way that the drawer will not be readily displaced from its stacked position.

According to the present invention, each pan is provided with ledges along upper ends of its side walls for supporting another pan or bin thereon. Additional means is provided for locking or joining the bins so that when the bins are stacked longitudinal relative movement of the bins is prohibited. In order to facilitate stacking of the bins, lower ends of the side walls project below the bottom of the bin or pan and are adapted to engage upon the ledges of an underlying bin or pan. By insetting the ledges with respect to the vertical planes of the side walls, the bins or pans can be stacked in such a way that the side walls on the stacked bins are in vertical alignment. By constructing the side walls in this manner, rows of stacked bins can be disposed in close adjacency and in side-byside relation.

According to still another important feature of this invention, the bins are provided with means which enable the bins to be locked in vertically staggered relation, if desired.

' A still further object of this invention is to provide a stackable pan which can be suspended from a supporting rack, if desired.

Another and still further object of this invention is to provide a stackable pan which can be efficiently manufactured at a minimum of cost.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating therein a single embodiment and in which:

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a stack-able bin embodying important features of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a series of pans mounted on a supporting rack;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a pair of stacked bins or pans;

FIGURE 4 is a side view similar to FIGURE 3 only illustrating the pans in stacked relation;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary edge view of a portion of the pan as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows designated by the numerals VV in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section as seen on the lines VIVI looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a dimple on one side wall;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded view of a pair of stackable pans illustrating how they are engaged together;

FIGURE 9 is a side view of a blank for forming one side wall;

FIGURE 10 is an edge view of the blank shown in FIGURE 9 only after the flanges have been folded into position;

3,252,614 Patented May 24, 1966 See FIGURE 11 is a side view of a side wall illustrating how the upper and lower margins are further processed;

FIGURE 12 is an end view of the side wall shown in FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of a blank for forming bottom and end portions of the bin or pan;

FIGURE 14 is an end view of the blank shown in FIGURE 13 only with the side flanges shown in a folded position; and- FIGURE 15 is a side elevation of the blank shown in FIGURE 13 only with the front and rear walls shown in folded relation to the bottom.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 refers generally to a stackable bin. The bin can be made from any suitable material such as sheet steel, aluminum, plastic and the like. The bin 10 is preferably manufactured from several flat pieces of material including a folded bottom strip 11 of material as shown in FIGURE 13. Where the bin 10 is to be made from sheet metal and the like, the bottom strip 11 is preferably notched to provide V-shaped notches 12-15, inclusive. The strip 11 may be further processed by transversely scoring and folding or bending the metal at longitudinally spaced intervals as designated by the score lines 16-21, inclusive, to form a series of bottom strip blank portions which are hereafter described.

At the forward end of the strip 11, the score lines are closely spaced to enable a handle 22 to be formed from handle blank portions 23 and 24. The fold line 18 serves to provide a line of demarcation between an inclined forward bin wall 25 with bin bottom 26. 27 is bent along fold line 19 and positioned at right angles with respect to the bin bottom 26. The real wall of the bin 27 may be further processed to provide a hanger 28 by folding the material along the fold lines 20 and 21 to provide hanger legs 29 and 30 which are disposed in right angular relation to one another.

Prior to the folding of the bin blank 11 along the fold lines 16-21, inclusive, the bin blank 11 may be further processed and folded along longitudinally extending fold lines 31 and 32 to provide a series of attachment flanges 33-38, inclusive. In this regard, it will be noted that each of the blank portions 25, 26 and 27 is provided with attachment flanges at the respective opposite margins of each. These attachment flanges are bent along the longitudinal fold lines 31 and 32 in right angular relation to the associated blank portion. The longitudinal fold lines 31 and 32 are extended across the vertex of the V-shaped notches so that the attachment flanges can be bent independently of one another into right angular relation with respect to the associated blank or wall portion.

Also provided on the rear wall 27 of the bin 10 are a series of hanger hook holes 39 and 40 as shown in FIGURE 13. These holes 39 and 40 can be used instead of the hanger 28 with suitable hooks for supending the bin from a rack or supporting structure as shown in FIGURE 2.

In order to complete the bin 10, side wall 55 and 55' must be formed for attachment with the front, bottom and rear walls 25, 26 and 27. To this end, side wall blanks are cut as are illustrated at 45 in FIGURE 9. When the side wall blank 45 is cut to shape, it is provided with an inclined forward edge 46, a rear wall edge 47, a series of score or fold lines 48, 49 and 50, and a notched area at 51. The material of the blank 45 is then folded along the fold lines 48, 49 and 50 to form reinforcing side wall flaps or attachment flanges 52, 53 and 54 disposed at opposite margins of the side wall 55, to provide double thicknesses of material at upper and lower margins of the side walls 55 and 55. The flanges 52, 53 and 54 on the side walls 55 and 55 are turned in such a way that A rear bin wall theflanges 53 confront one another when the side walls 55 and 55' are secured in assembly with the front, bottom and rear walls 25, 26 and 27 and so that the flanges 52 and 54 on the side walls 55 and 55' face in a direction away from one another.

After the folding of the side wall flaps or flanges 52, 53 end 54, the side walls 55 and 55' are further processed to provide a series of dimples 56 disposed at longitudinally space intervals along lower ends 57, 57 of the side walls 55 and 55'. These dimples or extensions are pressed out or formed from the material of the lower ends 57 and from the material of the flanges 53 and are disposed in confronting or opposing relation when the side Walls are assembled with the front, bottom and rear walls of the bin. The side walls 55 and 55' are further upset at upper ends 58 forming ledges 59, 59 with each ledge being disposed between one of the upper ends 58 and one of the side walls so that the side wall flap 54 overlies and vertically confront the ledge 59.

The side walls 55 and 55' are further processed to provide a series of longitudinally spaced recessed portions 60 for receipt of the extensions or dimples 56 to lock the bins 10, when stacked in vertical relation with respect to one another. When the .bins 10 are dis- .posed in stacked relation, the lower ends'57 are adapted to be engaged and supported on the ledges 59 on the opposing side walls 55, 55. To attain this end, the ledges 59 must be of a sufiicient length to support the thickness of the lower end 57 to be carried thereby. As shown in FIGURE 8, the ledge 59 has a'length sufi icient to support the side wall flap or flange 53 as well as the lower end 57 when the bins 10, 10 are stacked together.

Where it is desired that the bins 10, 10 be disposed in staggered relation with respect to .one another, the 'forwardmost dimple 56 on the upper bin 10 is retainingly engaged with the rearwardmost recess 60 on the upper end of the underlying bin 10, as shown in FIGURE '4. The bins 10 need not be disposed in staggered relastructure or rack 75. As illustrated, the rack 75 is com prised of a series of vertically spaced rails 76 supported between a .pair of end stands 77, with only one of the end stands being illustrated.

As illustrated, the bin 10 is provided with the hanger 28 as well as with the hanger holes 39 and 40 whereby the bin can be suspended from the rail 76 by means of the hanger 28 or the bin can be suspended by hanger books which project into the hanger holes 39 and 40.

According to the method features of this invention, many of the steps for forming the stackable pan have already been described in detail. In summary, the stackable pan can be formed by cutting out the first blank 11 and by cutting out the notches 12, 13, 14 and 15 as shown in FIGURE 13. The blank 11 may then be folded along opposite margins along the fold lines 31 and 32 away froma central area of the blank 11 to form the attachment fiaps 33-38, inclusive. These flaps are disposed at right angles with respect to the associated front, bottom and rear walls 25, 26 and 27. Thereafter, the blank 11 is transversely folded along the fold lines 18 and 19 to provide the front, bottom and rear walls 25, 26 and 27. The side wall blanks illustrated at 45 in FIGURE 9 are cut to shape and certain portions of the blank are folded along fold lines 48, 49 and 50 after the blank is notched at 51. The folded portions are turned into side-by-side engagement with one side of the blank 45 and are not disposed in right angular relation with respect to the blank 45. The side walls 55 are further processed by upsetting upper ends thereof to form ledges as shown at 59 in FIGURE 12. The ledges are of sufiicient length and width to permit the lower ends of the side walls 57 to be carried thereby.

The opposite margins of the side walls 55 are further processed either before or after the ledges 59 are formed by striking out portions of the lower ends of the side walls to form the extensions or dimples 56. The upper ends of the side walls 45 are further upset to form the recessed areas 60. Where dimples are provided on the lower ends of the side walls, the recesses 60 are formed with an arcuate shape so that the dimples 56 can be snugly fitted therein to lock the bins 10 together when stacked on top of one another.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

A stackable bin comprised of sheet material of essenwith lower ends extending beneath the bottom, the bottom being joined with the side walls and overlying said lower ends, the side walls above said bottom having ledges extending inwardly towards one another overlying said bottom and with upper ends extending upwardly from inner ends of said ledges inset from vertical planes through said side walls, said upper and lower ends each comprising a double thickness of material, and means on said lower ends below said bottom and on said inset upper ends for joining the bin with other bins, said means on each of said lower ends comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced dimples formed from the material of the lower ends disposed along inside surfaces of said lower ends beneath said bottom, said means on each of said inset upper ends comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced recessed portions extended inwardly of said inset upper ends generally overlying said ledges providing recesses inset from the vertical planes through said side walls and with said recesses being shaped for, receiving dimples on another bin therein when the bins are stacked, the dimples being sized and positioned for overlying ledges like said ledges when stacked and engaged with recesses like said recesses on another bin, one of said dimples on each of said lower ends being spaced equally from the other corresponding dimple and from a back edge of a corresponding one of said side walls to permit both staggered and vertical stacking of the bin with another bin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 459,697 9/1891 Atkinson 22062 2,490,269 12/1949 Johnson 21 1126 2,714,471 8/1955 Sherman 22097 FOREIGN PATENTS 558,009 5/1958 Canada.

413,480 7/1934 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner. 

